Dissociating Components of Anhedonia: A Pilot fMRI Study

NCT02569034 | Completed

• 3 other identifiers: IRB201400639-N5R03MH109336-02R03MH109336-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 46
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Anhedonia, decreased motivation for and sensitivity to rewarding experiences, is present in at least 1/3 of community dwelling older adults and is a feature of various psychiatric and neurological disorders, including late-life depression and Parkinson's disease. Anhedonia is associated with cognitive deficits, as well as poor clinical outcomes and increased mortality. Recent research suggests that anhedonia comprises motivational (reward "wanting") and consummatory (reward "liking") aspects. However, previous research on anhedonia has failed to dissociate these components, which may explain the contradictory findings in the literature. Recently, the Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT) was developed in an effort to dissociate reward components in anhedonia. The EEfRT is an effort-based decision-making task that measures reward "wanting", in contrast to commonly used anhedonia questionnaires, which focus on reward "liking." This novel task may provide a useful measure of components of anhedonia in older adults and in different patient populations. Thus far no data is available on this task in elderly individuals, and the cognitive and neural correlates of components of the task have not been investigated. Given the paucity of research on the neurobiology of anhedonia, cognitive neuroscience studies using this task could fill a gap in the literature. The investigators are developing a line of cognitive neuroscience studies examining anhedonia in community-dwelling older adults and in late-life depression and Parkinson's disease. This study will involve gathering pilot behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in young and older adults performing the EEfRT task. Understanding the brain mechanisms underlying anhedonia in older adults and in different patient populations will have a translational impact by elucidating biological targets for treatment.

Conditions

Anhedonia

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• fMRI Activity

  To quantify brain activity associated with reward "wanting," the investigators will contrast fMRI activation while participants view information about reward probability and choose to perform the easy or hard task with activity during fixation. The investigators will contrast activation during performance feedback and presentation of reward magnitude with activation during fixation to capture brain activity associated with reward "liking." Parameter estimates (ß) will be generated, which indicated relative strength of covariance between the data and the hemodynamic response function (HRF). The investigators will use a three-dimensional spatial contiguity threshold of 20 voxels and a statistical significance threshold of p ≤ .005 to decrease the likelihood of spurious findings.

  Approximately Day 14 (Visit 2)

• EEfRT Task Test

  The EEfRT is a computerized task in which participants are presented with a series of repeated trials during which they choose between performing a ''hard-task'' or an ''easy-task'' in order to earn varying amounts of monetary rewards.

  Approximately Day 14 (Visit 2)

Secondary Outcomes (19)

• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

  Baseline (Visit 1)

• Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2)

  Baseline (Visit 1)

• Card Stroop Task

  Baseline (Visit 1)

• Letter-Number Sequencing (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 4th Edition)

  Baseline (Visit 1)

• Trail Making Test Parts A and B

  Baseline (Visit 1)

Study Arms (2)

Young Adults

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

These participants will perform the Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT) while an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is performed. They will also complete a battery of both cognitive and anhedonia questionnaires.

Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Other: Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task

Older Adults

EXPERIMENTAL

These participants will perform the Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT) while an functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is performed. They will also complete a battery of both cognitive and anhedonia questionnaires.

Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Other: Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task

Interventions

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging OTHER

Both groups will have the fMRI performed once. The fMRI will be use to to dissociate activity associated with both reward "wanting" and reward "liking" using the EEfRT. Learning more about the brain basis of components of anhedonia in both young and older adults is important in the context of previous research showing that risk-taking behavior and reward sensitivity changes with age, enhancing the knowledge of anhedonia.

Also known as: fMRI

Older Adults; Young Adults

Effort-Expenditure for Rewards Task OTHER

Both groups with have the EEfRT performed once. The EEfRT is an effort-based decision-making task that measures reward "wanting", in contrast to commonly used anhedonia questionnaires, which focus on reward "liking." This novel task may provide a useful measure of components of anhedonia in older adults and in different patient populations.

Also known as: EEfRT

Older Adults; Young Adults

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18-38 or 60-80 years
• Able to provide verbal and written consent
• Right-handed
• Native English speaker
• At least 12 years of formal education

You may not qualify if:

• Significant cognitive disturbance
• Self-report of current or past history of psychiatric disturbance other than major depression (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcohol and/or substance abuse)
• Self-report of neurological disturbance (stroke, dementia, traumatic brain injury), chronic medical illness (HIV, metastatic cancer), or unstable medical conditions (cardiac or pulmonary disease)
• Physical impairments, language comprehension deficits, or significant hearing disturbances that would limit ability to perform tasks
• Current anticholinergic, psychotropic (stimulants or dopamine agonists), or anti-epileptic use
• Visual acuity difficulties that would interfere with task performance
• Motor deficits that may interfere with the use of the dominant hand for performance of button press associated with the EEfRT task
• MRI contraindications (e.g., ferrous metal in the body, claustrophobia, pregnancy)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Florida: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, 32610, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anhedonia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Adam J Woods, Ph.D.

  University of Florida

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2015
• First Posted: October 6, 2015
• Study Start: February 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: May 8, 2018
• Study Completion: May 8, 2018
• Last Updated: November 13, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-11

Locations

US (1)